My immune system had been taking South America like a champ until this past Thursday, when I was one of about 10 people on my squad to get hit hard with the same illness on the same day. Our guts were expelling their contents from both ends, which was a sad and uncomfortable situation. I hadn’t eaten since the day before and was barely able to drink any water, so I don’t know where my digestive system was even coming up anything to purge. At one point, I was so exhausted but so afraid to be far from the bathroom that I went to sleep outside on the dusty concrete using a running shoe for a pillow. By that evening, four of us (including me) had been admitted to the hospital overnight to be given fluids and antibiotics via IV.
It was one of the most miserable, beautiful days of my life.
The night before, our squad leader Dustin had mentioned how special P Squad is, that we love each other so well. I really got to see that in action on Thursday. My healthy squadmates all had a full day of ministry teaching English classes and running vacation Bible school, but they made ministering to the sick a priority on top of that. I didn’t ask for anything all day, but I had my every need provided for.
Jason fasted and led a group around to pray for each of us. Bailey, who wasn’t feeling great herself, hung out with us in the “sick bathroom” rubbing our backs and applying cold compresses for our fevers; she even finished a load of laundry for someone who’d gotten sick while washing clothes (our washing machine here is a bucket of water, so that was no small thing). Stacie caught me running out of the compound to puke (the bathroom was full at the time) and followed after with my water bottle. Olivia washed and massaged my feet. Brynne organized and led an expedition for meds and supplies. Cassady made bedside deliveries of prayer, Scripture reading, and Powerade. She and Hilary, who’s a nurse, also came and stayed with us at the hospital helping with translation, paperwork, and generally being a comforting presence.
Since I was asleep or incapacitated for most of the day, I know there were countless other acts of service that I’m not able to record here. While I felt physically terrible, I also felt incredibly loved that day – so much so that it brought me to tears at one point that afternoon.
One of my favorite verses, Matthew 20:28, says that Jesus came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. My squadmates poured the love of Jesus out on me through their service on Thursday, and I got to spend the day receiving from them without being able to reciprocate whatsoever. Serving others is a comfortable place for me, but my sick day was all about accepting others’ service. It was an awesome display of what it looks like for God to love me without me being able to do anything for him in return.
So, I may have failed my goal for the year of not setting foot in a hospital, but God took my sickness and misery and turned them into an opportunity for me to receive his love and compassion in a new way. That’s called redemption, and it’s one of the things he does best.
